Camellia plant named ‘Green 94-035’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Camellia  plant named ‘Green 94-035’, characterized by its compact and upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; dense and bushy growth habit; freely branching habit; relatively small dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; relatively long flowering period; and semi-double white-colored flowers tinted with red purple.

Botanical designation: Camellia sasanqua.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Green 94-035’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia, botanically known as Camellia sasanqua, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Green 94-035’.

The new Camellia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fairhope, Ala. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely flowering Camellia cultivars having unique and attractive flower color and flower for an extended period of time.

The new Camellia originated from an open-pollination in 1993, in Fairhope, Ala., of an unnamed selection of Camellia sasanqua, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Camellia sasanqua, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Camellia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Fairhope, Ala. in October, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Camellia by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fairhope, Ala. since August, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Camellia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Camellia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Green 94-035’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Green 94-035’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia:

-   -   1. Compact and upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy growth habit; freely branching habit.     -   3. Relatively small dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Relatively long flowering period.     -   6. Semi-double white-colored flowers tinted with red purple.

Plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia are more upright than and not as         spreading and open as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia have smaller and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to the plants of Camellia sasanqua ‘Shi-Shi-Gashira’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fairhope, Ala., plants of the new Camellia differed from plants of the ‘Shi-Shi-Gashira’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia were more upright than and not as         spreading and open as plants of ‘Shi-Shi-Gashira’.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Shi-Shi-Gashira’.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Shi-Shi-Gashira’.     -   4. Plants of the new Camellia and ‘Shi-Shi-Gashira’ differed in         flower form and color as plants of ‘Shi-Shi-Gashira’ had double         rose-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Camellia. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Camellia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Green 94-035’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Green 94-035’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Fairhope, Ala. in containers in an outdoor nursery during the autumn and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C. and night temperatures averaged 7° C. Plants were grown under 30% polypropylene shadecloth. Plants used for the photographs were ten years from planting, and plants used for the description were 30 months from planting. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Camellia sasanqua ‘Green 94-035’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Camellia             sasanqua, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Camellia             sasanqua, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two months at             temperatures of 27° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three months at             temperatures of 21° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at temperatures of 27° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             months at temperatures of 21° C. to 27° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; close to 164C in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen shrub;             compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit;             moderately vigorous growth habit. Densely foliated; compact,             dense and bushy plants. Freely flowering habit with numerous             semi-double flowers per plant.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about 24 to 36             lateral branches develop per plant. Pinching enhances             lateral branch development.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 46 cm to             56 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 25 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 13 cm to 20 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm to             7.5 cm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Slightly             pubescent. Color: Close to 197A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 2.8 cm to 3.5 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Shape:             Ovate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute to acuminate. Base: Acute.             Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 152A becoming closer to 146A             with development. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N189A;             venation, close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to N137B; venation, close to 144A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to             146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Camellia             typically flower from early October until mid-December in             Fairhope, Ala. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Flowers arranged singly             at terminals with usually about six flowers and flower buds             per apex; freely flowering habit. Flowers face upward or             outward. Flowers rotate and rose-like; semi-double flower             form with numerous petals and petaloids per flower. Flowers             sessile.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good flower             substance for about one week on the plant.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm to 5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to NN155A tinted with close to             58C.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Arrangement: Semi-double flower form;             about 13 to 22 petals and petaloids arranged in several             whorls. Length: About 1.7 cm to 3.5 cm. Width: About 0.8 cm             to 3 cm. Shape: Obovate to obcordate. Apex: Retuse to             rounded. Base: Acute to acuminate. Margin: Entire, undulate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to N155A overlain with close to 67C; towards the margins and             apex, tinted with close to 70C. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to NN155A overlain with close             to 67C; towards the margins and apex, tinted with close to             70C.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: About eight to ten fused in a single             whorl. Length: About 0.8 cm to 1.3 cm. Width: About 0.6 cm             to 1.1 cm. Shape: Orbicular. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Retuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Tomentose; towards             the margins, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Tomentose.             Color, upper surface: Close to 164A to 164B. Color, lower             surface: Between 162D and 165B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:             About 16. Filament length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Filament             color: Close to 4D. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length:             About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 4D. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 15A. Gynoecium: Quantity of             pistils per flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About 1.5             cm to 2 cm. Style length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Style color:             Close to 4D. Stigma shape: Tri-parted. Stigma color: Close             to 4D. Ovary color: Close to 4C.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 1.25 cm.             Color: Close to N200A.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Color:             Close to N200A. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Camellia have been     observed to be tolerant to rain and wind and to tolerate     temperatures from about −18° C. to about 49° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have been observed to be resistant     to Glomerella cingulata. Plants of the new Camellia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to     Camellias. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘Green 94-035’ as illustrated and described. 